[drivingpairs] Last Drive of the Season?

With temperatures in the upper 50's for the second day in a row, we threw all 
responsibilities to the winds and hitched up.  Oh Happy Happy December 28!  
There's seldom enough snow here in the Cincinnati area to hitch a sleigh and 
the non-driving weather seems to hang on forever, so today was a really special 
treat.
Flash and Tony hadn't been hitched since the Cleveland Candlelight Parade two 
weeks ago.  They were more than happy to head down the road.  Fields are way 
too wet to slog through, and musket season began today, so noise and 
visibility were the order of the march.  Each time I drive this pair, I wonder 
why I 
waited until nearly 60 years age to begin having so much fun.  Happily, my 
learning curve is fair, so I have been able to keep up with what they have to 
teach 
me pretty well.  Always driving with a friend (who has been driving multiples 
since before my birth) is my primary safety feature.  Wanda has seen most 
problems before, and knows what to do, but she's so in tune with the animals 
that 
she can alert me to potential difficulties. ("Watch Tony's ears.  He doesn't 
like the railroad tracks today.  Be ready!")

We saw a lot of bicyclists and motorcyclists and teens with their Christmas 
car stereos at full volume; not a few deer spooked over the roads by the 
hunters;
buzzards leering from the barn roofs, and one red-tail hawk sailing over his 
kingdom.  Got to try my new bamboo whip and I recommend them to everyone.  
Even these arthritic old hands can carry this light aide.

Yes indeed............it felt like a day in the early spring.  The ponies 
were springy, too, but ignored all of the distractions and soldiered on like 
the 
troopers they are.

 I'm sorry now that the farrier will be here on Wednesday to remove their 
shoes for the winter.  In fact, I'm having the shoes taken off because someone, 
somewhere told me that it's best for the hooves to have a month or two to 
"relax".  But MY toenails don't seem to need "relaxation time."  Can anyone 
tell me 
the down side of leaving shoes on year-round?  We just might have more winter 
driving time.

Thanks for any advice.....

Pat McVay



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